Tonal Plexus - 31ET / Bohlen-Pierce / Partch

This shows a custom tuning table built in TPXE, with 4 octaves of 31ET, 2 octaves of the Bohlen-Pierce 13th root of 3 scale (in two different patterns), and Harry Partch's 43 tone JI scale (also in two different patterns). The tuning software is here: http://www.h-pi.com/TPXEsoftware.html and the tuning file used is http://www.h-pi.com/tpxfiles/31ET-BP-Partch43.tpx in the scale archive at http://www.h-pi.com/cgi-bin/filearchive.pl?folder=tpxfiles&extension=.tpx

Category:

Music

Tags:

• microtona
• microtone
• harmonics
• Partch
• Bohlen-Pierce
• 31ET
• TBX1

[Superphilipp]

"I clearly don't know what I am doing and am just playing around."

Then why am I watching you?

[AaronAndrewHunt]

@Superphilipp very funny : )

[Sherbrick]

Cool demonstration. I might use anything but the organ sound to demonstrate Bohlen-Pierce tuning, as the organ sound is so rich in even-harmonics whereas the BP scale is based on only odd harmonics

[AaronAndrewHunt]

@Sherbrick Thanks. You're right that something without octave duplications would be better to demonstrate the character of BP, as it is a non-octave tuning. The demo is less about the particulars of that tuning and more about mapping the keys of the keyboard. Compositionally speaking, it can also be a useful trick to put octaves into the timbre to supply harmonic support that's missing from a non-octave tuning such as BP. Similar to using a timbre having a good fifth in a tuning that lacks one.

[Sherbrick]

@AaronAndrewHunt

That kinda makes sense, about the timbres. I would like to do some composition and performance with BP once I'm able to get my hands on some instruments. Some kind of alternate keyboard layout like this device would be very handy!

[NorrisChuckling]

I'm really digging the 31edo (and BP obviously, but that's totally different!). I figured it would be another wacky/harsh sounding ET, but it actually sounded more in tune than 12edo to me.

Also, Sherbrick's right, organ is not a good choice for BP. Maybe something that's organ-like in terms of attack and sustain, but with a purer tone.